SLEEPING RESIDENTS ESCAPE HIGHLAND HOUSE FIRE
Highland and Pierron Firefighters responded to the scene of a fire at Main and Cypress, two blocks east of Downtown Highland, early Tuesday morning. Highland Fire Chief Rick Bloemker said an employee of St. Joseph’s Hospital saw the smoke and went to investigate. The witness was able to wake the sleeping residents and they were all able to evacuate without any injury. Several downtown streets were closed as the home was fully evolved. Chief Bloemker said the damage was extensive. The back side of the house was severely burned and there was substantial smoke and water damage overall. At this time, the exact cause of the fire is unknown. The Highland Fire Department is still investigating.
DECK FIRE AT HOUSE IN RURAL PITTSBURG
Mulberry Grove and Keyesport Firefighters responded Tuesday, at 5:20 p.m., to a report of a house fire in Fayette County. According to Fire Chief Dwight Volkmar, the fire was a deck attached to the residence on the Pittsburg Road, southeast of Mulberry Grove and west of Pittsburg, in Fayette County but still in the Mulberry Grove Fire District. The cause of the fire is unknown and damage was confined to the deck. Firefighters checked the house but it was not damaged. Damage is estimated at $3,000.00. No injuries were reported and they were on the scene about an hour.
MULBERRY GROVE SCHOOL BOARD HEARS STATE FUNDING CUTS
New teachers for the 2012-2013 school year were introduced at a “Meet & Greet” before the Monday Mulberry Grove Board of Education meeting.
During the regular meeting, Superintendent Mike Gauch presented the treasurer’s report. The district received a $50,000.00 maintenance grant to be matched by the district. Current total cash and investments on hand as of June 30 are as good as or better than totals of the past three years. Gauch said the district is currently doing okay but he expects limited state funding this year. The Governor recently reduced general state aid for K-12 districts by 11%, which means the district will tentatively be receiving 89% of previous year funding. This reduction in funding represents $180,000.00 for Mulberry Grove Unit 1 District. Transportation funding levels are not yet known.
The board approved bread and milk bids for the 2012-2013 school year. Schools must serve whole grain bread this year which is an increase of ten cents per loaf. Bread will cost $1.32 per loaf, white milk will be 23.7 cents and chocolate milk 26 cents per half pint.
Superintendent Gauch and Principals Hartlieb and Bauer are currently taking training to qualify them for doing administrative and teacher evaluations.
The next meeting is Monday, August 20 with a tentative budget proposal at 6:45 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7:00.
